The Bible

 

何西阿書 9

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1 以色列啊,不要像外邦人歡喜快樂;因為你行邪淫離棄你的,在各穀場上如妓女賞賜。

2 穀場和酒醡都不夠以色列人使用;新酒也必缺乏。

3 他們必不得耶和華的以法蓮卻要歸回埃及,必在亞述不潔淨的食物。

4 他們必不得向耶和華奠酒,即便奠酒也不蒙悅納。他們的祭物必如居喪者的食物,凡的必被玷污;因他們的食物只為自己的口腹,必不奉入耶和華的殿。

5 在大會的日子,到耶和華的節期,你們怎樣行呢?

6 看哪,他們逃避災難;埃及人必收殮他們的屍首,摩弗人必葬埋他們的骸骨。他們用子做的美物上必長蒺藜;他們的帳棚中必生荊棘。

7 以色列人知道降罰的日子臨近,報應的時候到。民說:作先知的是愚昧;受靈感的是妄,皆因他們多多作孽,大懷怨恨。

8 以法蓮曾作我守望的;至於先知,在他一切的道上作為捕鳥人的網羅,在他的家中懷怨恨。

9 以法蓮深深地敗壞,如在基比亞的日子一樣。耶和華必記念他們的孽,追討他們的罪惡

10 主說:我遇見以色列如葡萄在曠野;我見你們的列祖如無花果樹上春季初熟的果子。他們卻到巴力毗珥專拜那可羞恥的,就成為可憎惡的,與他們所的一樣。

11 至於以法蓮人,他們的榮耀必如去,必不生產,不懷胎,不成孕。

12 縱然養大兒女,我卻必使他們喪子,甚不留一個。我離棄他們,他們就有禍了。

13 以法蓮如推羅栽於美地。以法蓮卻要將自己的兒女帶出來,交與行殺戮的人。

14 耶和華啊,求你加他們─加甚麼呢?要使他們胎墜乳乾。

15 耶和華說:他們一切的惡事都在吉甲;我在那裡憎惡他們。因他們所行的惡,我必從我地上趕出他們去,不再憐愛他們;他們的首領都是悖逆的。

16 以法蓮受責罰,本枯乾,必不能結果,即或生產,我必殺他們所生的愛子。

17 我的必棄絕他們,因為他們不從他;他們也必飄流在列國中。

   

The Bible

 

路加福音 21:22

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22 因為這是報應的日子,使經上所的都得應驗。

Commentary

 

Fig

  
Still Life with Figs, by Luis Egidio Meléndez

In the Bible, a fig tree represents the "natural", outward life of a person in the world, and the thoughts and feelings directly connected it. Our natural selves have a tendency to be drawn toward evil, seduced by bodily pleasures and engaged in merely factual thinking. If our natural level is connected to a more elevated interior state, though, it can be engaged in doing the work of being good and gathering the knowledge that can be built up into truth. This "natural good" is represented by the figs themselves, the fruit borne by the tree. It's interesting how there is a hierarchy among the most common fruits in the Bible. Olives represent the most exalted human state, which is called "celestial" and is driven by love of the Lord. Grapes represent the next level, which is called "spiritual" and is led by truth from the Lord and love of the neighbor. Figs represent the lowest level, the natural. This makes sense if you think about it. Olives produce olive oil, which is not only food but can also be burned, and fire represents love. Grapes produce wine, which was prized in ancient times and which represents spiritual truth. Figs are food, giving the body energy to work.